Improved means of providing a leak for liquids



Dec-L20, 1932. LUBBOCK ET AL 1,891,313

IMPROVED MEANS OF PROVIDING A LEAK FOR LIQUIDS Filed June 17. 1931/A/l/A/ra: 08500K J. R -L/O VCE- Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED s TATEs.-PATENT oFFicE ISAAC Luisiaocx AND JOHN RUsxiN .Toren-or LoNDoN,iiNGLAND,AssiGNoRs To THE AsIATIo yETRoLEUM ooMPANY LIMITED, oF LONDON, ENGLAND eIMPBoviiD MEANS or rizoviniive A LEAK non LiQUiDs f Application led.Tune 17, 1931, Serial No. 545,136, and inGreat Britain July 7, 1 930.

Our invention relates to improved means of providing a leak for liquids,and may be used in conjunction with the inventionrelating to oil fuelburners, described inthe specification vNo. 427 ,848, being primarilydesigned for use in conjunction with the res-v l scribed in theabove-cited specification, where theoil is supplied to a heatingreservoir and' thence to the burner, and where, during the quiescentperiod, the reservoir, the burner and their connecting conduits areilledwith oil being heated and in thermosiphonic circulation, it isimportant to provide means for allowing a little oil to escape in orderto'relieve the system of such excess pressure as would cause ejection ofoil through the burner nozzle during the quiescent period, and it isalso desirable, during the active period, to provide a constant leak tocarry away water and sediment which would otherwise vaccumulate at thebottoniof the reservoir.

The improved leak device according to the present invention comprises aspring-loaded valve and a restricted leak orifice in series. Thespring-loaded valve is preferably located between the leak orifice andthe inlet to the device. A

According to another feature of the invention, the leak deviceincorporates in its structure a filter or strainer for the leakingliquid.

In the preferred form, the leak device comprises a member containing ahandbperated valve and adapted to be connected to a liquid container toexpose one side of the valve to the liquid, a filter chambercommunicating with the other side of the valv'e, a springloaded checkvalve, preferably a ball valve, controlling the outlet from the filterchamber to theV space behind the check Valve,a

plugfwith a leak orifice providing a restrict@` ed outlet from the spacebehind the'ch'eck valve, and a connector, preferably containingV avalve,for couplinglthe nal Outlet from the leak device to a drain or toareturn pipe leading to the main liquid supply or tank;

Our invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation, and Figure 2 is amodified detail in longitudinal'section.

Referring tothe drawing v N is a nipple by means ofvwhich anangle;patternnee'dle-point valve A is attached to the underside of the heatervessel, i. e. the reservoir 9 of the arrangement described 'inspecification No. 427 ,848. The valve A has its normal outlet at Q, butthe underside! of thevalve body is drilled and' fitted with a` nipple R,upon which is mounted the sediment pocket B, by means of Vunion nut S.The wheel of the valve fits on the valve spindle T. Screwed into thevalve outletQ' is a filter housing C, into which housingris screwed theball check valve body and filter' stem E as one unit. The filter y'stemis wrapped with a single thickness of fine gauze or otherstrainingmedium D, and the liquid passing from the vessel through valveA intoA the filter body, can only find further e ress by passing throughthe straining met? through the holes Z' inthe filter stein'to theballcheck'valve F, which seats at VfThe ball check Valve is loaded witha spring which can be adjusted to give'a varying presium,

sure on the ball by ineans'of the leak plug H,

which is'providedwith a small orifice at W, which orifice limits thequantity of oil'which passes out from the heater vessel.l` Secured tothe end of the check valve bodyby means of union nut J land nipple K, isa small angle needle valve L, whose'outlet M iscoupled by a pipe to amain tank or toa drain. 1' u The needle valve L serves as a complete" Yshut od, ori as a supplementary control agent to the leak oiice plug Hinvgauging theV quantity allowed to flow from the vessel. Byclosingivalve A, the entire leakassembly can be detached at O forexamination and clean.;

ing. Removal of sediment pocket B for cleaning is accompanied by a smallbenefcial flush of liquid from the vessel, which serves to clean out thevalve body.

If it be desired to remove the filter or check valve or adjust thespring pressure on the check valve ball, valves A and L are both closed.Valve L is then disconnected from the check valve body at union J, andthe orifice plug II canbe screwed in or outl as desired, Yor-the entireassembly can be unscrevved at joint O.

In normal operation valves A and L are fully open. When the vessel isfull of liquid being heated, and the plant is idle, the liquid expands,and under the resulting pressure the liquidk finds egress via the leakorifice plug H,

after being strained at I). When the plant is Working,the normal Workingpressure in the vessel causes a continuous small flow of liquid outk ofthe vessel through the assemblyA and back to the tank via the pipeconnectedY at M.

The. assembly thus serves to drain away continuously Water and sedimentYwhich would otherwise. accumulate at the bottomv of the vessel. Further,it serves to relieve the vessel of'a little liquid When the plant isidle and the liquid is expanding as a result of being heated. Relief isafforded at the comparatively low pressures at which the ball checkvalve-is set, and in this Way liquid is prevented from being ejectedfromthe nozzle assembly as a result of the high pressures which would bereached Were no such re-` lieving device fitted.

Figure 2 shows a modified design of the filter, whereby a much greatersurf'acekof` straining medium is afforded.` The ball, spring andv leakorifice plug are the same as before, but the filter stem and check valvebody are separate parts. The straining inedium may conveniently consistof an openended cylinder D of gauze Which is Wired on the bobbin rims atX and Y, and supported along itslength internally bya helical springvl?.` The modified filter stem will be seen to consist of a bobbin-likepart, one end of lwhich forms the ball valve seat, Whilst the other endis provided kvvith a head or driver y j slot I for ease in assembly. Theneck ofthe bobbin ishollovv for kthefgreater part of its length, withduct holes ZZ for the passage of, the strained liquid.

What We claim is: Y

1, In combination Withlthe heatable; liquidcontaining reservoir of aliquid fuel burning installation, a conduit connected to the bottom ofsaid reservoir, a spring-loaded valve in said conduit, and a restrictedleak orifice mounted in series with the springloaded valve, said valvebeingadjust'ed to open under the normal pressure Within the reservoir,when the installation` is working,

the spring, the said' valve passing liquid from thereservoir throughythe leak orifice.

4. In combinationwith the heatable liquidcontaining reservoir of aliquid fuelburning installation, a COnduitcOnneCted to the bottomof saidreservoir, said conduit comprising a filter casmg,1n-Wh1chfcas1ngahollowapertured stem projects, surrounded by straining materialsupported away from the stem by spacing means, one end of theinternalcavity of said stem being openL and forming a seat for a ball valve, avalve casing m said conduit, Within Whichcasmg are arranged the saidball valve, aspring acting on said lvalve-,and

a plug with a restricted leak orifice bearing on said spring and beingin screw-threaded engagement with the innerv Wall of thev valve casing,thesaidconduit passing liquid from.

said rservoirthrough said leak orifice. Y 5. An arrangementas claimed,in claim 4 1nV which the conduit comprises an angle patternneedlepointvalveconnected at its uppersideto the reservoir, and having a,lateralk passage adapted to be closed'V by the needlel point andconnected yto said filter casing, and having a detachable sedimentpocket connected to the underside.Y

6. An arrangement as Claimed inclaim 4 in which the filterl stem isflangedv at the ends Within the filter casing so that ithas the :form

of abobbin by'which the straining material is supported.V

- In testimony whereof We hereuntoalfx our signatures. .Y

ISAACI LUBBOCK. Y e j `JOHN RUSKIN JOYCE.

